People walk along the Yalu River, which separates China (left) from North Korea (background, right), on June 16, 2016 | Image: NK News
North Korea-China trade recovered to early pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2022, new Chinese data shows, appearing to push ahead despite renewed COVID-19 lockdowns in China.
According to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), North Korea imported $57 million worth of goods from China in March 2022, bringing total quarterly imports to $173 million. Pyongyang imported $110 million in the prior quarter.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s quarterly exports to China decreased only slightly, from $24.7 million in the fourth quarter of 2021 to $23.5 million in the first quarter of 2022.
The latest data points to steadily
North Korea-China trade recovered to early pandemic levels in the first quarter of 2022, new Chinese data shows, appearing to push ahead despite renewed COVID-19 lockdowns in China.
According to China’s General Administration of Customs (GAC), North Korea imported $57 million worth of goods from China in March 2022, bringing total quarterly imports to $173 million. Pyongyang imported $110 million in the prior quarter.
Ethan Jewell is a Seoul-based correspondent for NK News focused on sanctions, trade and maritime issues. He previously worked as an investigations and intelligence specialist for Pinkerton Comprehensive Risk Management and as a research intern for the Brookings Institution's Center for East Asia Policy Studies. Follow Ethan on Twitter @EthanJewell